Congratulations to all the students who were members of the graduating class of 2020. You deserved better. It is a shame that your graduation came at a time when the pandemic crisis was occurring and safety measures made it necessary to cancel several celebrations that would have been great memories for the rest of your lives.

But let me tell you about the graduating Class of 1942. The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and World War II came to the United States, just a few months into my brother’s senior year. He immediately signed up for the military, and within a couple of days was in basic training, as were most of the “boys” his age.

His situation was typical of what happened in my neighborhood at that time. Four years after and having participated in six invasions, the war ended for him and many others who were in the Class of 1942.

These “boys” not only missed their graduation ceremonies, but they also missed over four years of what should have been some of the greatest years of their lives. Of course, some boys never made it back after the war.

James Carroll
Bristol